Please enter information for 2 or 3 student learning outcomes that your program assessed this year. At least one means of assessment for each outcome should be direct evidence (indirect evidence, for example, would be students' reflection on their learning). Record department discussion and plans to implement change at the bottom of the form. Please complete your posting by September 30, 2022.
Intended Student Learning Outcome #1 |
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Research Methods, Data Analysis & Presentation of Results: Students will be able to design, implement and present the results of an independent research project, employing interdisciplinary research and data analysis methods to examine an issue or topic related to health and medicine, including but not limited to the use of qualitative interviews, while understanding and observing ethical guidelines for research with human subjects. |
| Alignment with institutional mission and goals | Please type text in boxes below. They will expand as needed. |
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| College Mission Reference | The college “welcomes and inspires students to develop their knowledge and skills to build a better world.” |
| Relevant College Values Reference | Learning: Embracing high expectations for intellectual inquiry, critical thinking, scholarly exploration, and personal growth. |
| Relevant Strategic Plan Focus Area | Student Success and Well-Being |
| Relevant Program Goal or Learning Outcome | Students will be able to design, implement and present the results of an independent research project. |
| First Means of Assessment | Please type text in boxes below. They will expand as needed. |
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Procedures & Criterion for Success | For the first means of assessment – I used rubric #3 to assess (1) student research proposals, (2) student informed consent forms, and (3) student research papers from ANTH 402 Sociomedical Sciences Capstone (sections 1 and 2) for the four sub-learning outcomes. Assignments from a total of 34 students were assessed using the rubrics below. The third column of the Overall Outcome rubric “Research Methods, Data Analysis & Presentation of Results” for learning outcome #3 lists the percentage of students who exceeded, met, approached or did not meet the overall learning outcome. The third column of the rubrics for the four sub-outcomes list the number of students who exceeded, met, approached or did not meet the sub-outcome. |
| Assessment Results | Forty-two percent of ANTH 402 students exceeded the learning outcome and demonstrated application and sophisticated understanding of research design, research ethics, and data collection methods, as well as the strong ability to present their research in a research paper. Another 48.5% met this outcome, 6% approached the outcome and 3.5% of students did not meet it (see rubrics and results below). |
| Reflection on Results | After assessing three assignments in the Sociomedical Sciences major required course ANTH 402 Sociomedical Sciences Capstone, I determine that major is satisfying the Research Methods, Data Analysis & Presentation of Results learning outcome. Looking more closely at the sub-learning outcomes of research design, research ethics, data collection and data analysis and presentation of results, it looks like the area that needs most improvement is data analysis and presentation of results—"students present novel findings from their own research, describes patterns using theoretical concepts, and contextualizes their findings using multiple scholarly sources." Only 26.5% of students exceeded this outcome, 53% met it, and 14.7% were only approaching it, and 5.9% didn’t meet it. In particular, students seemed to have trouble applying a theoretical framework to their data analysis. In order to improve this skill set, the instructor (Melanie Medeiros) will devote more class time to discussing the goals of a theoretical framework and the ways to incorporate one into students’ writing. Since every student in the major takes ANTH 402, this will increase the likelihood that students graduate with this skill set. |
Overall Outcome Rubric for Learning Outcome #3 Research Methods, Data Analysis & Presentation of Results | % of Students | |
Exceeding | The student demonstrates application and sophisticated understanding of research design, research ethics, and data collection methods, as well as the strong ability to present their research in a research paper, oral presentation or poster. | 42% |
Meeting | The student demonstrates application and basic understanding of research design, research ethics, and data collection methods, as well as the ability to present their research in a research paper, oral presentation or poster. | 48.5% |
Approaching | The student demonstrates partial application and partial understanding of research design, research ethics, and data collection methods, as well as the satisfactory ability to present their research in a research paper, oral presentation or poster. | 6% |
Not meeting | The student fails to demonstrate basic understanding of research design, research ethics, and data collection methods, as well as the ability to present their research in a research paper, oral presentation or poster. | 3.5% |
Sub-Outcome from Rubric #3: Research Design | Number of Students | |
Exceeding | Student provides a nuanced discussion of their research design, including a rationale for research questions, appropriateness of methods for the project, and a clear explanation of the broader impacts of the study. | 6 |
Meeting | Student provides a basic account of their research design, including a list of research questions, a description of methods used, and a discussion of the broader impacts of the study. | 27 |
Approaching | Student provides a basic description of their research topic, possibly including mention of the research questions, methods, and broader impacts. | 0 |
Not Meeting | Student fails to provide a basic description of research design, does not report on research questions, methodology or broader impacts. | 1 |
Sub-Outcome from Rubric #3: Research Ethics | Number of Students | |
Exceeding | Student demonstrates thorough understanding of the complex ethical considerations involved in research with human subjects, by discussing informed consent and several ethical principles for researchers (e.g. confidentiality, ‘do no harm’, responsible management of recordings). | 25 |
Meeting | Student demonstrates basic understanding of the primary ethical considerations involved in in research with human subjects, describes informed consent procedures, and mentions at least one ethical consideration for researchers (e.g. confidentiality, ‘do no harm’, responsible management of recordings). | 8 |
Approaching | Student demonstrates partial understanding of the ethical considerations involved in research with human subjects, may have misunderstandings about the ongoing nature of informed consent or of ethical principles such as confidentiality, ‘do no harm’, or responsible management of recordings. | 0 |
Not Meeting | Student fails to demonstrate understanding of the ethical considerations involved in research with human subjects, is unable to explain informed consent or other ethical principles when prompted to do so. | 1 |
Sub-Outcome from Rubric #3: Data Collection | Number of Students | |
Exceeding | Student demonstrates excellence in employing research methods to collect and/or analyze pre-existing data. | 17 |
Meeting | Student demonstrates basic proficiency in employing research methods to collect and/or analyze pre-existing data. | 13 |
Approaching | Student displays partial proficiency in employing research methods to collect and/or analyze pre-existing data. | 3 |
Not Meeting | Student fails to display proficiency in employing research methods to collect and/or analyze pre-existing data. | 1 |
Sub-Outcome from Rubric #3: Data Analysis & Presentation of results | Number of Students | |
Exceeding | Student presents novel findings from their own research, describes patterns using theoretical concepts, and contextualizes their findings using multiple scholarly sources. | 9 |
Meeting | Student presents findings from their own research, describes findings using at least one theoretical concept, and contextualizes findings with reference to at least one scholarly source. | 18 |
Approaching | Student attempts to identify findings from their own research, attempts to use theoretical concepts in discussing their data, and may refer to a scholarly source. | 5 |
Not Meeting | Student fails to identify patterns in their own research, fails to use theoretical concepts in discussing their data, and fails to refer to scholarship on their topic. | 2 |
| Second Means of Assessment | Please type text in boxes below. They will expand as needed. |
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Procedures & Criterion for Success | For the second means of assessment, I counted the number of graduating seniors in sociomedical sciences who made professional presentations, including at G.R.E.A.T Day, during the 2021-2022 academic year (goal 20%). |
| Results | Five seniors presented posters at G.R.E.AT Day and one poster at the SUNY undergraduate research conference. There were twenty-five students in the graduating class of 2022, and therefore 20% of seniors presented their research. |
| Reflection on Results | The benchmark for this second means of assessment is that at least 20% of students present at G.R.E.A.T day or another academic conference (SURC, CUR, etc.). This year the program met that benchmark with 20% of seniors presenting. |
Summarize departmental discussion of assessment results. (Discussion Guidelines) Have you made, or are you considering, any changes (to courses, programs, co-curriculum, use of other campus resources) in light of assessment results? If so, please describe the changes below.
Other than the suggestion made by Medeiros to review the goals of a final research paper's use of theory, the department had no other suggestions.
Parts II and III of the CAC Assessment Report:
II: Identifying of the Learning Outcome Goals of Your Academic Unit for next year.
Name 1-3 learning outcome goals you will assess next year. This next year's goals may be based on assessment from last year or the planned rotation of student learning outcomes assessment. By archiving this information on the wiki using this form, you can access these goals next year.
Goal 1: Students will demonstrate understanding of concepts and theoretical principles central to the sociomedical sciences.
How you will measure your success?
During the first week of classes, students will be given a 24-question multiple choice pre-test evaluating their comprehension and ability to apply 12 key concepts. They will be given the same test during the last week of the semester. Scores on both tests will be evaluated to assess whether students comprehension and application of these concepts has improved.
III: Linking Academic Unit Learning Outcome Goals to the College's Mission, Values, and Strategic Plan
Please tie your goals for the upcoming year to Geneseo's declared values (Learning, Creativity, Inclusivity, Civic Responsibility, and Sustainability) or to the more granular Focus Areas and Objectives outlined in the Geneseo 2021 Strategic Plan.